Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
302 Manual Drive Trains and Axles
Make alignment
marks on joint
and axle
Axle
Axle
Vise
Pry out snap ring
Screwdriver
Slide housing off
A
B
C
Axle
Remove
snap ring
Snap ring
pliers
Figure 15-30. To begin disassembly of a ball-and-cage joint:
A—Mark the shaft and housing for proper reassembly.
B—Remove the internal snap ring that holds the cage in the
housing. C—Remove the external snap ring holding the shaft to
the inner cross.
4. Before disassembling the ball-and-cage joint, place
alignment marks on the joint housing and the axle
shaft to ensure that all parts are reassembled in their
original position, Figure 15-30.
5. Remove any snap rings that hold the joint together.
Figure 15-30 shows typical snap ring locations. Actual
snap ring locations vary, and a few CV joints do not
have snap rings. Always check the appropriate service
literature for snap ring locations before attempting to
force the joint apart.
6. After the snap rings are removed, remove the joint
housing or the axle shaft from the ball-and-cage
assembly. The part that is removed will vary, depend-
ing on the design of the joint. If the ball-and-cage
assembly is still inside the housing (this will be the
case with most joints), carefully tilt the cage in the
housing by pressing down on one side of the cage.
You can then remove the ball from the opposite side
of the cage. Repeat this procedure until all the balls
have been removed. During disassembly, place the
balls so that they can be reinstalled in the raceways
from which they were removed.
7. Once the balls have been removed, the cage and
inner cross assembly can be turned sideways and
removed from the housing.
8. After the assembly has been removed from the housing,
the inner cross can be removed from the cage. The CV
joint is now completely disassembled. Figure 15-31
shows the sequence of events for disassembling a typi-
cal ball-and-cage joint.
9. After the joint is completely disassembled, clean all
the parts and inspect them for wear. The housing and
inner raceways should be checked carefully for exces-
sive wear and scoring. Check the balls for pitting,
cracks, score marks, and uneven wear. Also study the
ball cage for wear or cracks. Check the lubricant for
contamination. Defective parts should be replaced. In
some cases, the entire joint must be replaced.
10. To reassemble a ball-and-cage joint, align the parts
and install the inner cross into the cage.
11. Then, install the cage assembly in the housing. Tilt the
cage to replace the balls. Make sure the balls are
returned to the slots from which they were removed.
12. Install the boot and the joint housing on the axle shaft.
13. Reinstall the snap rings as necessary. See Figure 15-32.
14. After reassembly, thoroughly grease the joint. Place
extra grease in the boot to provide additional lubrica-
tion, Figure 15-33.
15. Install the boot over the joint, and then tighten the
boot clamps, Figure 15-34.
16. Check the joint for free rotation at various angles. To
ensure the joint has been properly reassembled, some
manufacturers recommend checking the length of the
joint between the boot clamps, Figure 15-35.
CV Joint Boot Service
The CV joint boots retain lubricant and protect the CV
joint from water and dirt. The boots should be inspected
whenever the technician is under the vehicle. Look for
grease on the underside of the vehicle near the boot. This
may indicate a punctured boot that is throwing grease as it
rotates. Another cause of leakage is a clamp that is broken
or loose. A leaking boot should be serviced immediately to
prevent joint failure.
When working on CV axles, make sure you do not
damage the boots. When reinstalling a boot, remove any
kinks from the boot bellows and position the clamps prop-
erly. Do not overtighten the clamps. To prevent damage, do
not rotate the CV joints at abnormal angles when they are
removed from the vehicle.